Expert: “Catastrophic Brake Failure” Caused Schoharie Limo Crash

The SUV limousine crash that killed 20 people in Schoharie, NY in October was caused by “catastrophic brake failure,” according to court documents released by lawyers for the defendant. Nauman Hussain, owner of Prestige Limo, now faces manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges for each of the 20 victims. His lawyers included conclusions from a forensics expert hired by the New York State Police in documents filed in SchoharieCounty Court, the Albany Times Unionreported.

The crash was the worst in the United States since 2009.

Schoharie County District Attorney Susan Mallery and the state police had been silent about the probable cause. The National Transportation Safety Board has not yet released findings, partly due to a dispute with the DA about access to the SUV limousine.

The 34-foot “super stretch” Excursion – packed with party-goers – plowed down two pedestrians in a parking lot Oct. 6. A witness stated that the limo traveled through the intersection at a high rate of speed. Autopsies described “multiple severe traumatic blunt force injuries” as the cause of death for all the victims.

Aside from the driver and the two pedestrians, all were friends or relatives of Amy Steenburg, on a trip for her 30th birthday. Members of the group had Tweeted about the poor condition of the limo minutes before the crash.